Mason Facts

Get to Know Mason At-a-Glance
Located in Fairfax, Virginia, 15 miles from Washington, D.C.
Largest public research university in Virginia, with more than 38,000 students
President: Gregory Washington
Independent since 1972, after serving as a branch college of University of Virginia from 1957-72
One of 131 U.S. universities to receive highest research designation from Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
Two Nobel Prizes in Economics (James Buchanan in 1986, Vernon Smith in 2002)
One of four Virginia institutions ranked among top 100 universities in U.S., and top 300 universities in world, by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities
More than half of Mason’s undergraduates are students of color, and Mason exceeds national graduation rates regardless of race, ethnicity or wealth status
Ranked most diverse university in Virginia, and 35th-most diverse in the country, by U.S. News & World Report
34 percent of undergraduates are first in family to earn four-year degree
Mason in top three public universities in state for highest starting salaries
Student loan default rate of 2.3% less than one-third of national average
Motto: Freedom and Learning
82 undergraduate programs, 89 master’s, 39 doctoral, law
Students from 130 countries, 50 states
Campuses in Arlington, Virginia and Manassas, Virginia
200,000 alumni
Information: www.gmu.edu, 703-993-1000